CEA Technologies to build air-defence radars for ADF

CEA Technologies is building four new air-defence radars (pictured above) for the ADF. (Commonwealth of Australia)

Canberra-based CEA Technologies has secured a “multimillion-dollar” contract from the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) to build four new air-defence radars, Australia's Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy announced on 21 July.

“The new sensors will be able to detect aircraft and missile threats at greater ranges and with increased accuracy than our current systems, allowing for real-time critical information to be received and affording greater warning, decision, and response time,” Conroy said.

The new air-defence radars being built by CEA Technologies will use active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology, he added.

The contract secured by CEA Technologies is part of the Australian government AUD2.7 billion (USD1.8 billion) investment in the DoD's new Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS).

“As a critical component of the JABMS, the radars will enhance situational awareness and interoperability” across the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and with Australia's allies, Conroy said.

The contract will increase CEA Technologies' workforce from “530 staff to over 800 in coming years”, he said.

Conroy said CEA's radar technology is also “currently installed on the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) Anzac-class frigates”. According to Conroy, the new ground-based sensor applications will be based on the same radar technologies.

According to CEA Technologies, its AESA radars that are used on naval vessels have a “unique microwave tile-based design”.

The combination of the microwave tile and the digital beam-forming (DBF) back end provides a modular, programmable, and scalable solution, the company said.

The radar also has full 3D multifunction capabilities, and advanced classification capabilities, the company added.